Thales to acquire Big Data firm Guavus

Thales SA has signed an agreement to acquire Guavus, a U.S. Big Data analysis company, for up to $215 million.

The Guavus acquisition will strengthen Thales' position in digital transformation processing and predictive analytics of Big Data, a factor increasingly critical in real-time decision-making, Thales officials said in a press release.

Guavus is a "pioneer" in the processing and analysis of massive data, they added.

Thales makes rail signaling equipment, satellites, missiles and submarines. Based in San Mateo, Calif., Guavus provides Big Data analytics applications for planning, operations, customer experience management and Internet of Things. The company was founded in 2006.

The Guavus acquisition follows several the French company has made in the area of connectivity, mobility and cybersecurity.

"The application to Thales' core businesses of Guavus' technologies and expertise in Big Data analytics will strengthen our ability to support the digital transformation of our customers, whether in aeronautics, space, rail signaling, defense or security," said Thales Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Patrice Caine.

Anukool Lakhina, founder and CEO of Guavus, added: "The opportunity to join Thales, a global high-tech giant, comes at a time when big data and their industrialized processing — especially in real time — play a key role in the digital transformation of governments, businesses and cities."